


The Jule Thief Caper

by richynepp



Category: Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)
Genre: 200k Slowburn in progress, F/F, Mostly fun action sequences but might get more dangerous later...hee hoo, To all my beta readers thanks and spanks!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:20:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23303035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/richynepp/pseuds/richynepp
Summary: Julia fitted the lenses into place. This was it.She placed the red-tinted goggles over her eyes, pressing a button near her ear to activate the screens. Immediately her vision was bombarded by data readouts, material scans, focus points, and all she could do was let out a light laugh.She'd done it- she finally had her very own stealth suite.---Or the 'Julia Argent can go a little rogue, as a treat' au
Relationships: Julia "Jules" Argent & Carmen Sandiego | Black Sheep
Comments: 11
Kudos: 81





	1. Paid Leave (pt 1)

**Author's Note:**

> bitch lasagna...bitch lasagna....anyways julia asks if she can get some direct action and god(me) says yes.

“Alright, Player. What brings me to the beach today?” She tipped the brim of her straw sunhat against the cool sea breeze as it passed by- a short reprieve from the tropical sun. 

“The pink sand and crystal clear seawater, of course!” Came a light reply. “Welcome to sunny Bermuda- at least, says on the weather app that it’s supposed to be a balmy eighty-five today. How’s it looking on your end?” 

Carmen cocked an eyebrow at her partner. “Your weather app is spot on. It’s gorgeous.” 

“Good to hear. Alright, let’s see...you’re headed to Hamilton- that’s the capital -for some sightseeing at the National Museum of Bermuda.” A pause, some clicking. “Oh man! Get this; as many as thirty-two _thousand_ people travel to Bermuda during the busiest months- and nearly half a million people visit each year! Their airport must be _really_ busy.” 

“Their airports and their ocean ports, Player. Cruises play a pretty big part in that, and they have the local wildlife to thank. Bermuda’s islands- all one hundred and seventy seven of them -are surrounded by some of the most beautiful coral reefs on the planet.” Carmen commented as she walked along the water's edge, her sandals leaving light marks in the packed sand. 

“You know, they say nothing is as amazing as seeing it in person, but Google is doing a pretty good job at getting the picture across. Too bad you won’t be using your diving suit this time around.” His tone was almost apologetic, as if he’d had any hand in deciding what she’d be doing on this leg of her round-the-world journey. “Maybe VILE will try something underwater next time?” 

“Let’s hope there isn’t a next time, Player.” Carmen chuckled into her earpiece. “I think I’d rather do the diving on my own terms. You know, so I can take a moment to soak in the sights _without_ having to worry about, oh...let’s see...VILE trying to ruin the local ecosystem?” That seemed like something they’d probably try to pull. A grimace tugged at Carmen’s lips, and she sincerely hoped that wouldn’t be something they dug up in the next hard drive they managed to nab. “Just an example off the top of my head.”

“Right. Then we better make sure this job is a success. Maybe it’ll deter them from coming back.” 

“Doubt it. Do we know what we’re after?” Carmen kicked the sand from her sandals as she approached a bus stop. Just a few minutes until the next bus- now was as good a time for a debriefing as ever. There was a beat of silence on the other end of the line, and Carmen wondered briefly if her call had dropped. “Player?”

“Sorry, just double checking something.” He responded after a second. “There aren’t any specifics in the file I managed to decrypt. Just a time and a place...and numbers that I _think_ are supposed to represent the weight of something in pounds? It could be something they’re holding at the museum...I’ll see if I can’t dig anything up. In the meantime, enjoy Bermuda. Maybe take some pics for me?” 

“Will do, Player. Talk to you soon.” 

“Later, Red.” 

A click, and the line went quiet- just in time too; a moment later the bus to the Dockyard rolled to a stop right in front of her. Once on the bus, Carmen let out a small breath when she saw how packed it was. Guess she’d be standing. A couple of people gave her a sidelong glance as she moved towards the back, doing her best to avoid stepping on stuffed beach bags and open toed sandals. 

The bus jolted forward, and Carmen managed to catch herself on the back of a seat. Out of the windows she could see the light twinkling off the ocean waves. That picture perfect moment pulled further and further away as the bus picked up speed, the view quickly obscured; pink beaches replaced with the emerald sheen of the local flora in the blink of an eye. Nothing but a blur. Carmen sighed; the rush, the inability to take it in was just a little too on the nose for her liking. Someday she would be able to really enjoy those little moments, but for now she had a criminal organization to dismantle. 

“Busy, aint it? We’re packed in here like a bunch of sardines!” A sharp voice cut through Carmen’s little reverie. The woman sitting near her with fire red hair lowered her sunglasses to reveal a pair of twinkling blue eyes. 

“Eugh, what’d I say about the fish metaphors, Ivy!?” Her brother groaned in the seat next to her.

“It’s a simile, Zack! Get it straight!” 

“A simile is a type of metaphor, genius! You ain't the only one who passed highschool level english y’know!” 

“Good to see you two got on the right bus this time.” Carmen chuckled at her cohorts’ antics. Ever the source of travel entertainment- what would she do without them? Besides die of boredom, obviously. 

Ivy’s shoulders drooped. “Really, Carm? That was _one time_ \- and, unlike you, we can’t read all however-many languages there are in the whole wide world.” She huffed indignantly, setting her sunglasses back on the bridge of her nose. “ _You_ try readin’ Japanese when you’re in a rush!” 

“I...did. We were together for that one, Ivy.” 

“Oh. Right.” Ivy deflated. Her slump didn’t last long though; Zack wasted no time poking fun and the two quickly resumed their usual back and forth, filling the bus with an array of sub-par wordplay and the occasional laugh from some of the other passengers. Even Carmen joined in when the puns got especially terrible. Their energy was infectious and the lightened mood made the ride go by a little faster. Before long the trio disembarked in front of Bermuda’s famous museum, all in high spirits. 

It’d still be a little while before they needed to set up their equipment around the building, so Carmen treated the siblings to a late lunch across the street from the museum. As they sat down on the patio of a local eatery- one Zack was heartbroken to find specialized in seafood -Carmen decided now would be a good time to buzz Player. Maybe he’d figured out that mystery measurement he’d dug up out of the hard drive. 

“Hey, Red.” 

“Player. Good news, I hope?” 

“Well- actually…”

* * *

_“Take some time off, Agent Argent.”_

_“But-”_

_“This isn’t a suggestion, it’s an order from your superior.”_

Chief had expressly told her to take some time to reflect. Reflect on what? She hadn’t asked at the time, but she knew precisely what her boss had been referring to; her executive decision to trust Carmen Sandiego. A decision that had almost gotten the thief _killed_ , a decision that had resulted in a failed raid, a decision that had gotten the Chief's private files hacked into. An indisputable red thread that tied so many of ACME’s recent failings to her. 

So there she was in Bermuda’s very own National Museum, trying very hard to enjoy the exhibit on local imports and exports while on her _mandatory_ downtime. 

The Chief had put Chase back on the case, replaced _her_ \- level headed, quick witted, competent -with _him_ . Now, Julia had never made it a habit to speak ill of Devineaux while he wasn’t there to defend himself or brush her off, but he did have a tendency to be brash, stubborn, and at times downright feral. Still, there she was in this quiet little museum _missing_ his company. After all, if not him, who? Agent Zari? Perish the thought.

The subdued lights of the museum illuminated frayed and faded trading agreements, but Julia’s mind was elsewhere; Back in Stockholm, replaying every little thing that had gone wrong. The memory of biting cold and the shaking figure of Carmen Sandiego resurfaced before she could stop it. The stark contrast of that small woman- or, not _small_ , but weak, worn, _human_ -to the illusive figure in flowing red, the pale blue lips pulled into a weak and bitter frown to that ruby red grin as she’d pulled Julia up onto the catwalk in Milan. Sharp gaze dulled by biting cold and desperation to the vibrant gleam of a woman with a brilliant plan in the works. Another sigh. She never _did_ have a chance to apologize for that. She doubted she ever would.

That thought alone stung. She had been _so close_ to forging _something_ with Carmen, she was sure of it. If the Chief had just given her a chance, had just trusted her like she promised she would, then maybe...maybe it would have turned out different. Maybe Carmen wouldn’t have tricked her way into ACME’s files. Maybe they’d still be communicating, working together with local police to put an end to VILE’s plans. _Maybe-_

Julia came back to with a start as a gentle hand tapped her shoulder; she’d been staring so long and so hard at a single cracked porcelain plate that a passing tourist had thought she might be in some distress. Maybe she was.

“I’m- I’m fine, thank you. Just, ah, taking in the history.” And then, in a much smaller voice. “Excuse me.” She quickly moved through the rest of the display, passing over small decorative jewelry boxes, coins, and cutlery alike, far too distracted to properly appreciate the craftsmanship or bother with the informational placards. Another sigh escaped her as Julia glanced down at her watch. “...oh.” No wonder her thoughts were wandering; she’d been perusing the museum for a solid two and a half hours. In fact, now that she stopped to think about it she _was_ quite famished.

Julia created a little mental to-do list as she walked out of the museum and into the balmy afternoon sun; first, a bite to eat, perhaps followed by a coffee so she’d have an excuse to keep off her feet for a while, then she’d head back to the hotel, pick up that book she had been meaning to read, and go to the beach. She nodded, assuring herself that, yes, this was indeed the most efficient and productive way to enjoy her time off. Because she was _definitely_ having a lovely vacation and not at all stuck on her past failures pertaining to a singular elusive thief clad in red named Carmen Sandiego.

“Now...where to have lunch…” As luck would have it, there was a rather well reviewed restaurant just across the way- one Julia had been meaning to look into. Now was as good a time as any she supposed, starting to make her way towards the cross walk. The light turned. A flash of red.


	2. Paid Leave (pt 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even Carmen makes mistakes.

“Julia...you mean _Agent Argent?_ ” Carmen asked, ignoring Zack and Ivy’s raised brows. 

“Yeah, looks like one half of our terrible twosome is there in Bermuda with you.” 

“What is she doing here without our old pal Chase? There was no way she could have figured out VILE would be targeting Bermuda. Even if she did, she wouldn’t have come without backup.” Too sensible for such a bold move. 

“She might be taking some strategic time off after the stunt we pulled?” Carmen could almost hear the shrug in Player’s intonation. “At the very least, there aren’t any signs of other ACME agents on the island right now.” 

“Weird.” Ivy grunted, one skeptical brow raised. 

“Super.” Zack crossed his arms and leaned back into his chair, gaze drifting from his untouched caesar salad- _anchovies, who puts fish on a salad?!_ -over Carmen’s shoulder.

“Thanks for the heads up-” 

“Uh, Carm?” 

Carmen raised a single pointer finger towards Zack in the universal gesture for ‘just a minute.’ “Player, is it likely that we’ll run into her?”

“She’s staying at a hotel on the mainland, so keep an eye out.” 

“ _Carm?_ ” Ivy also piped up, but in an urgently hushed tone. Not usually a good sign. 

The twins had taken to frantically pointing to something behind her, and she casually shifted in her chair to get a better view- just in time to see Agent Argent walking up to the restaurant with a guidebook open in her hands, attention clearly somewhere else; she didn’t even spare a glance in their direction as she whisked by their table. Somehow even without her ACME licensed outerwear, Julia still managed to look like she was headed to a meeting. 

Totally fine. No big deal. The group shared a look- clearly they all had the same idea. Carmen nodded, and the redheads played it subtle as they got out of their seats, collected their bags from the floor, and began to head towards the street. Carmen meanwhile opened her wallet and roughly calculated the price of the meal and a generous tip before collecting her bag out from under the table and moving to follow Zack and Ivy. 

“Excuse me, ma’am?” All three froze at the familiar voice, the sound of light footsteps following Carmen down the stairs from the patio. Of course she’d come back outside to eat. Curse their luck and this damnably gorgeous weather. “You forgot your…” 

Carmen caught Ivy’s guilty grimace before she turned to face Julia.

“...binoculars…” The agent’s voice tapered off as a look of recognition passed over her features. She held a small, red- of course -foldable pair of binoculars in her hand. Pocket sized, inconspicuous, and, apparently, easy to forget at the lunch table. 

“Jules.” Carmen acknowledged her cooly, noting the way Julia flinched at the nickname. “Small world.” 

“Ms. Sandiego…I…” A myriad of expressions played across the agent’s face, most of them very subtle variations of guilt and trepidation. 

All of Carmen’s professional experience told her to get the hell out- this had to be another setup. ACME agents in plainclothes were probably waiting to pounce, but instead of breaking into a dead sprint in the opposite direction, disappearing behind a passing group of tourists or a local bus, Carmen just stood there playing a silent game of twenty questions. What would Julia want? Information on VILE? Hints on where she’d be headed next, what her mission was here? An accusation, maybe? Demands for an explanation about her hacking into ACME’s database? In Carmen’s peripheral Zack and Ivy tossed each other a confused look. 

Finally the agent seemed to come to her senses. “I’m sorry. I’m glad to see you’re well.” The words were spoken softly, sincerely, and Carmen found herself having to actively keep the surprise from manifesting in her signature quirked brow.

Another moment passed. When Carmen didn’t immediately vanish Julia opened her mouth again, words a little more rushed. It was almost as though she thought this would be the last time she’d get a chance to make her peace. “I only wanted to speak with you in Stockholm, I’d asked for a moment alone, but Chief, she didn’t- I’d asked her to trust me, but…” She trailed off, an inscrutable expression crossing her features. “I never meant for you to get hurt on my account, and I’m so sorry, Ms. Sandiego. I really, truly am.” 

There was another beat of silence between them, and then the buzzer in Julia’s pocket went off. Saved by the bell. 

“Trust is a hard thing to come by, isn’t it? Enjoy your meal, Jules.” Was all the acknowledgement Carmen offered before spinning on her heel and heading off with her team. 

It wasn’t until the three of them were well on their way that Ivy finally piped up. 

“Um, Carm? The binoculars?” 

Carmen froze, fists clenched. _Shit._

* * *

Back in her hotel room, Julia examined the small piece of surveillance tech. The binoculars seemed innocent enough on the surface, but as soon as Julia folded them out and held them up in front of her she quickly realized they were anything but; a bright red filter covered the door she was examining- nothing too conspicuous in case someone could record through the lenses -and lines, grids, blocks of text quickly formed across her line of sight. The type of lock, the material of the wall, the brand label at the edge of the curtains, this tool caught it all. Julia couldn’t help but gasp out in surprise and delight. 

“Like something out of a movie.” She murmured, carefully tucking the binoculars back into their case. “But why leave it with me…?” If the crimson ghost had brought along her team _and_ her tech, then there must be _something_ happening on the island...

“Does...she want me to bring this somewhere?” This was a far cry from her experience in Italy; the catwalk, the thrumming music, the flashing camera lights, the heat of the moment, and all the adrenaline in the world pumping through her veins. Now there was only the constant, gentle hum of the AC and the tickle of curiosity at the back of her neck. It was much harder to guess Carmen Sandiego’s motives when she wasn’t a scant two feet away telling Julia exactly what they had to do next. The agent’s brows furrowed as she stared harder at the small red tool in her hands. Perhaps if she hoped hard enough it would produce some sort of extra clue she could follow. 

Silence, of course, but, oh, if this tool could speak...Julia couldn’t even begin to imagine what sort of action and espionage those rose tinted lenses had seen.

Her reverie was interrupted by the sharp buzzing of her phone. A text from Devineaux about the ever elusive Carmen Sandiego, no doubt. The untouchable thief that she’d bumped shoulders with just moments ago at a wonderful beachside restaurant... _that she hadn’t immediately reported back to HQ about, oh god._ Oh god. Where was her phone? Julia frantically pat down the bedding around her, eyes darting towards the dresser- no, no, _listen_. The phone buzzed again, and Julia ripped it out from under an inconspicuous corner of the duvet.

“Hello?” Julia calmly answered. She hadn’t even begun to lie yet and her palms were already clammy. 

“Ms. Argent!” The ever exuberant voice of her partner blasted out of the small phone speaker, and Julia found herself having to pull the device away for a moment, ear ringing at the sudden audio assault. “You will not believe it- ah, yes, yes, of course...” There was a soft muttering of other voices behind Chase. “Everyone sends their regards, Ms. Argent.” Julia could only roll her eyes. 

“Thank you, sir.” 

“Right, right- _anyways_ , the man who kidnapped me, he has been spotted in New York! I am headed there now, and when we bring him in he’ll have no choice but to lead us right to his partner in crime, _la femme rouge!_ ” There it was. “I will call you once we have him in our custody.” 

“Of course…” Chase continued to boast about his premature victory as Julia’s nerves settled enough to understand what he’d just told her. With backup she was sure he’d be fine, but…

“Sir…” 

“Hm? What is it, Ms. Argent, speak up!” 

“Just…” For how infuriating he could be...he was still her partner, and he’d seen her through her early weeks as a junior detective. She owed this man a lot, and, yes, she might have even had something of a soft spot for him. “... _please_ stay safe, Agent Devineaux.” 

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line. “You do not need to worry about me, Ms. Argent, I will not be caught off-guard again.” His usual manic intonations eased into something a little more grounded, even if it was only for a moment. “Enjoy the rest of your vacation, and don’t forget to let me know as soon as you return; you have a lot of work to catch up on!” 

A single click signaled the end of the call, and the comparative silence was nearly deafening. Carmen Sandiego was in Bermuda, and Julia- Agent Julia Argent of ACME, a service dedicated to taking down an unknowable institution of evil -hadn’t told Devineaux about it. Her gaze settled onto the binoculars again. 

She zipped up the sides of her boots, tugged on a light outer layer, and shoved the red binoculars into her pants pocket, pausing at the door only long enough to take one last look at the hotel room. The ACME assigned work phone lay silent on the bed, and the communicator pen still rested within the inner pocket of her suit jacket, which was tucked neatly away in her suitcase. The professional- rational even -part of Julia warned that this was ridiculous and hot headed at best, _suicidal_ at worst. If the Chief found out there was a very real chance of this temporary vacation becoming a _permanent_ vacation. Nevermind the fact that she’d never hear the end of it from Devineaux...Still, if this was indeed an olive branch extended to her by Carmen then this might be her only chance to seize it. 


	3. Paid Leave (pt 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baby's first heist!

“Ivy and Zack are in position, Red.” Player’s pre-heist lowdown had just wrapped up, and now all Carmen could do was hope for the best and prepare for the worst. 

“Great.” She held up her opera glasses towards the National Museum of Bermuda, eyes narrowing as she scanned the building for any unusual activity from her perch. Unconventional, but her binoculars were currently  _ indisposed _ . “Let’s hope I don’t forget the mark on my way out. By the way, Player, did you figure out what those measurements mean?” 

“I did. Turns out it’s not  _ weight-  _ the numbers represent one of the buildings and a specific exhibit housed within. From the looks of it one of your ex-classmates has been dispatched to nab all of the Hogge coins on display in the Commissioner’s House on the first floor.” Carmen immediately turned her lenses towards the center of the museum’s sprawling campus. One of the main buildings. She rolled her eyes; VILE always had to make a statement. 

She continued to watch from her perch, observing a museum employee casually,  _ cluelessly _ , lock the front doors, signalling the end to their workday. 

“First golden doubloons, now this. I wonder if Maelstrom was in the mood for another pair of cufflinks…” 

Carmen pocketed her spyglass, jumping down off of one of the side walls before making a silent dash behind one of the outer buildings. There wasn’t any rush; Carmen had given herself plenty of time to work her way carefully around the edge of the property, avoiding security guards and the small amount of cameras present. Nothing she couldn’t plan around with the help of Player’s digital floor maps. 

But that was the thing about plans; they had a funny way of falling apart at the last minute. 

Carmen narrowed her eyes, sinking further into shadow as a dark green shape deftly leapt up onto the roof of one of the many buildings. The moonlight caught the edges of an angular mask, the crouched silhouette of a predator on the hunt. Sheena was  _ early _ . 

“Look what the cat dragged in.” 

“That’s weird...VILE’s not supposed to drop in for another ten minutes.”

“Your guess is as good as mine, Player, but Tigress never  _ was  _ one to follow instructions.” She watched as the cat-themed thief jumped down and stalked across the manicured gardens towards the Commissioner's House. “Tell Zack and Ivy to be ready, I’m going in.” 

“Roger that, Red. Be careful.”

“I always am.” 

* * *

Julia looked at the low wall in front of her. It was probably only about three and a half meters tall, surely not an issue for a well equipped woman with physical training and a grappling hook. However, Julia was someone who met minimal strength requirements and had no such tools at her disposal. No matter, she’d find an alternate solution- after all, there was no problem a little thinking couldn’t solve. Perhaps she could utilize some nearby boxes and trash cans as a makeshift platform? Though it’d be structurally unsound and would definitely attract attention if she lost her footing. The wall itself looked like it had some natural footholds, but with her limited upper body strength a barehanded vertical climb wasn’t the most practical option either. Maybe a makeshift grappling hook would- no, where would she even find the necessary materials? A frustrated sigh escaped her as each possibility turned up a dead end. 

The sudden screech of old brakes nearly spooked Julia out of her skin. This was it, she thought as she practically dove behind the closest garbage bin, the gig was up! Chief would have her head, she’d be out of a job, what would she tell her father-?! 

“Player couldn’t get us anything with workin’ brakes?” An unmistakably Bostonian accent accompanied the sound of a van door sliding open. 

Julia peeked out from over one of the garbage bins, squinting at the apparent out-of-towners on a late night drive. The one who had just spoken walked out in front of the vehicle- shaggy, short cropped red hair, freckles, broad shoulders. One of Carmen’s teammates, which meant the other one was probably nearby.

“Can it- all a getaway car needs is some  _ gettup’-an-go! _ ” A female voice quipped back as the passenger side door opened. 

Ah. There she was. The same red hair, freckles, and broad shoulders. Julia might have been jealous if she weren’t so focused on her immediate mission. Speaking of which...her eyes darted away from the squabbling figures- siblings, by the sound of it- to the van. It looked sturdy, probably wouldn’t make too much noise if she climbed onto it, and it was tall enough that she might be able to jump over the wall. 

She went to make a move, but the concerns she’d had in the hotel room bubbled up again, locking her in place; without her suite, her gas gun, her backup, what help could she possibly be to the competent and capable Carmen Sandiego? She wasn’t an accomplished thief. In fact, she wasn’t exactly an accomplished agent either; next to no professional combat training, a personality that lent itself to her current state of inaction, and guided by, what? A hunch? An assumption that Carmen even wanted her assistance in the first place? A theory that  _ perhaps  _ the thief had done less wrong than her agency suspected?

No, none of that was quite right.  Perhaps it was hope, then. 

Hope that the Magna Carta, the Medici dresses, and the roses all pointed to  _ someone  _ believing Julia to be a capable ally, even if the people she worked for did not.  The binoculars weighed heavy in her pocket. 

_ ‘Trust you, huh?’  _

Julia could almost hear Carmen’s voice. 

_ ‘Prove it.’  _

She would not let the thief down, not again. 

“Huh _ -hey! _ ” The young woman shouted as Julia took a running leap onto the hood of their apparent getaway vehicle. 

It went just as planned; she used her momentum to jump onto the roof of the van and then, with all the upper body strength she could muster, practically  _ tossed  _ herself over the wall, landing uninjured, if not fully upright, on the other side. Her ankles and knees would certainly be having words with her tomorrow morning, but for now she’d successfully executed her infiltration. 

Now came the tricky part; there were six buildings that comprised this museum and Carmen could only be in one of them. If she were in fact working for VILE then they could infiltrate multiple buildings at once, but if she were to go with her working theory- which she knew to be right- then there would only be one display in peril that night. She quickly scanned the premises, doing her best to ignore the cursing and confusion she’d caused on the other side of the wall. 

“She’s gonna blow the mission!” 

Funny, wasn’t that her job? Before she could ponder that query any further, the sound of muffled conflict caught her attention. Just a faint thud, followed by an unfamiliar voice- female? -dead ahead. Julia broke into a sprint across the picturesque gardens, leaping over a cropped topiary towards the Commissioner’s House. She made for the entrance, but slowed when she realized that it would probably be locked at this hour. And, besides, what self-respecting thief would ever use the front door? Julia quickly backtracked, looking for an alternate way in, and quickly discovered a window that had been almost completely removed from its frame. A blur of red crossed the opening, and then a flash of something else entirely. A blade- or  _ blades _ ? Julia quickly pressed herself against the outer wall to avoid being seen.

As she looked inside she realized she’d been spot on: duking it out in the middle of the historical coin display was Carmen and another woman with striking platinum blond hair, dressed in a rather dark jumpsuit emblazoned with bright orange tiger stripes.

“Give it up, Tigress, the coins aren’t going  _ anywhere _ .” Carmen’s tone was stern as she deflected the vicious strikes of, well,  _ Tigress _ , apparently. How apt. 

“Oh  _ please _ , I’ll bag the coins-“ The masked woman made another swipe with her claws. Not blades,  _ claws _ . “ _ -and _ a stray  _ Black Sheep. _ ” One dangerously sharp looking stiletto heel kicked out towards Carmen. 

“I already told you-“ Carmen ducked under the attack, using the opportunity to sweep Tigress’ feet out from under her. “It’s  _ Carmen _ now.” 

The blond landed with a dull thud on her back, but recovered quickly. With a growl she pushed herself up off the floor just as Carmen turned on her heel clearly about to make her way towards an object that Julia had to squint in order to make out- a small metal briefcase. It looked like it had been tossed towards a recently vacated display case. 

Julia’s eyes widened. “The Hogge coins…?” 

Masked eyes narrowed. “Oh no you  _ don’t! _ ” Tigress pounced, and her claws found purchase. Carmen gasped as she went down, twisting mid-fall to raise her arms in hasty defense. 

As the two thieves rolled around on the tiled floor, Julia quietly entered through the window. She knew she needed to get to that case; those coins were property of the people, and their home was here in the museum. Keeping to the shadows- and praying that the beating of her heart didn’t give her away- the agent began to edge towards the empty exhibit. For a moment Julia could have sworn that Carmen looked her way, but if she’d seen her she didn’t let on. 

“It doesn’t matter  _ who _ you are anymore...there’s no Coach to  _ coddle _ you now!” 

Tigress had finally managed to get the upper hand, both figuratively and literally. One hand was raised triumphantly above her head, claws catching the cold moonlight of the open window while the other gripped Carmen’s neck tightly enough to draw blood, keeping her on her back. Carmen glanced towards Julia- so she  _ had  _ noticed- and the message was clear; it was now or never. 

Julia lunged for the metal briefcase. As her fingertips brushed the handle, there were two possible scenarios that ran through her head; first, the metal briefcase wasn’t padded, allowing the coins to be damaged if exposed to excessive force- unlikely, especially considering the current situation- second, the metal briefcase was padded, securing the coins in place and protecting them from wear even when thrown at a human being with all the force a woman of five foot two inches could muster- very likely, especially considering the current situation. Julia scooped the case off the ground and hurled it towards Tigress. 

“What?!” The movement had been enough to draw the supposed VILE agent’s attention. Masked eyes went wide. “Who the  _ hell- _ ” 

The case connected with Tigress’ raised arm. Not a direct hit, but it was just enough of a distraction. Carmen lifted her legs, hooking her ankles around Tigress’ neck, and slammed the back of her head into the floor with a resounding  _ crack! _ The woman’s mask went dark as her body went slack, and for a second Julia’s heart caught in her throat. 

No, she wouldn’t-

“She won’t be out for long- we need to move.” Carmen said, and Julia released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. The ruby clad thief brushed herself off, picking up the case as she shot Julia a sidelong glance. How was she so composed? Hadn’t she nearly been bisected moments ago? “Come on.” 

And just like that she was gone again, the tail of her red coat disappearing out the window in the blink of an eye. Julia spared one last look towards the fallen VILE agent, a frown tugging at her lips as she realized she wouldn’t be able to call for a pickup, even if she’d wanted to. Instead she moved to follow Carmen- though her exit was not nearly as dexterous; first one leg, then the other, both accompanied by a grunt of exertion. If she’d had a longer coat would that have made it seem more impressive? She doubted it. 

Carmen waited patiently for Julia, bending down by the outer wall and cupping her hands when the agent finally managed to catch up. 

“I’ll give you a boost.” 

Julia furrowed her brow, opening her mouth to object when a noise from behind her cut her off. Had Tigress already woken up? No time to debate. Julia bit her lip and took a couple steps back to give herself a head start. Her back foot dug into garden soil as she pushed off, one, two-

A leap of faith. 

Her boot hit the soft pad of Carmen’s palms, and Julia was pushed upwards with a tremendous amount of force. So much force, in fact, that Julia vaulted right over the wall and landed ass-first onto the roof of the van. So much for a quiet getaway. Someone from inside the vehicle had already opened the side door and offered a hand to get her down. The young woman. Had she ever gotten her name? Julia quietly thanked the redhead as she entered the van, rubbing her tailbone. Carmen swung in through the open door a moment later, case in hand. 

“Step on it, Zack.” 

The young man in the driver’s seat gave a thumbs up. “Roger!” 

As the van peeled into the night, Julia glanced out of the rearview window. Tigress pulled herself up onto the wall, her form cutting a terrifying silhouette against the starry sky, glowing green eyes narrowing as she watched them make their escape. 


End file.
